Airbus A320

The Airbus A320 is a twin-engine aircraft, which typically carries 150 passengers in a two-class, single-aisle cabin on medium range routes of up to 3,050 nautical miles (5,700km). It can carry a maximum of 180 passengers in a high-density seating configuration. It also provides under-floor freight capacity for up to seven industry-standard LD3-46W cargo containers.

 The A320 is designed to be operated by two pilots, and a crew of cabin attendants whose number varies according to the operator’s seating configuration. It has a typical cruise speed of Mach 0.78 and a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.82.

 The maximum take-off weight for this aircraft type is 169,800lb (77 tonnes) and it can carry up to 41,100lb (18.6 tonnes) in payload.

 The A320 has a maximum fuel capacity of 7,835 US Gallons (29,660 litres). Fuel tanks for all versions are located in the wing and in the wing centre section. The A320 can also be fitted with up to two additional centre tanks in the aft cargo department.

 Engines
The A320 can be equipped with either CFM International CFM56-5 or International Aero Engines IAE V2500 engines, which generate between 25,000lb and 27,000lb (111-120kN) of thrust.

History
Airbus launched the A320 programme in March 1984. After its first flight on 22 February 1987, four aircraft participated in a rigorous flight test and airworthiness certification programme during which they accumulated 1,200 flight hours in 530 flights. The A320 was delivered for the first time in March 1988.

 As of February 2006, the global A320 fleet had logged over 32,036,491 flight hours in 17,765,838 flights.

 By end of March 2006, some 1,494 A320s were in service with 121 operators.

 Where the A320 is made
A320 major sub-assemblies are produced in France, Germany, the UK and Spain. Final assembly takes place in Toulouse, France. Interiors are fitted at Airbus’s Hamburg facility where customers’ own choice of seats, galleys, toilets, furnishings and other equipment are installed.

Airbus A320 China Southern Airlines  © Airbus

Airbus A320

Early Airbus proposals for a family of airliners centred on twin-aisle and single-aisle (SA) designs, and while the first two aircraft featured twin-aisles, the third member of the family introduced the single-aisle. From as early as 1970 the Airbus management studied possible single aisle aircraft, much smaller than the A310 and more in line with the DC-9/737.
In 1979 British Aerospace became a member of Airbus Industrie, who had been working on their ‘European JET’ single aisle project. The JET family became the Airbus SA-1 and SA-2, with different body lengths to seat from 130 to 180. In 1980 Airbus conducted in-depth research into the plausibility of using turboprops before announcing the decision to use turbofans. The design was designated A320 in February 1981 and given the go-ahead in June that year at the Paris Air Show. This go-ahead was more in spirit than practice because the jury was still out on which power plants should be used – and some of those only existed on paper. More serious was the delay from the British government in failing to reach agreement with British Aerospace on a finance package to assist launch and support costs as well as funding the vast tooling required to manufacture the wings. This resulted in a three-year delay, time which the designers spent on refining and improving the already extremely advanced systems.

Although it shared some aerodynamic similarities with its two larger cousins, the A320 is essentially an all-new design, including state-of-the-art aircraft engineering features.  The A320 was designed from a ‘clean-sheet’, it was not modified from an existing design and Airbus made a firm decision to use the most advanced technology available at the time to reduce operating costs. Among the technological firsts is a full fly-by-wire control system with sidestick controllers, gust alleviation function for a smoother ride and greater fatigue life and a centralised fault display and warning system. Every system aboard communicates digitally with numerous computers. Traditional dials were replaced in favour of multi-coloured, multi-function monitors, which reduced crew workload and dispensed with the Flight Engineer. Every system on the aircraft is monitored and any problems reported to the crew via ECAM, the Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitor. More information was made available to the crew than ever before and only required a dozen instruments (compared to the 42/43 found in the 737/MD-80).
The throttles are in the traditional central console position but instead of directly connecting to the engines, they connect to the Fadecs, (full-authority digital engine controls).
The wings passed through several evolutionary changes with six different spans before settling on the long and sleek aspect ratio that gives the A320 a significantly higher aerodynamic effiency than the DC-9 or 737.  Intended for the 737/MD-80 market, the A320 has seating for 150 to 179 passengers, these accommodated in a wider cabin than most single-aisle aircraft, allowing for far greater comfort and the ability to take standard baggage containers.
New materials were used to reduce weight, the tail was made from carbon fibre composite, the wing root fairing made from Kevlar aramid fibre and much of the wings use a titanium alloy.

Airbus A320-100
The programme start-up was announced on 2nd March 1984, and on 22nd February 1987 the first aircraft (F-WWAI) took to the air from Toulouse with CFM56 engines. The first 21 aircraft were the basic A320-100 version, after which all production was the –200 model.
This 130/140 seat aircraft had wing fuel tanks only.
Only Air France, British Airways, and Air Inter operated this type.  British Airways who had always preferred Boeing products obtained their A320s by ‘accident’ after they merged with British Caledonian who had placed the order. BA was slightly embarrassed but pleased to find the A320s proved to be more cost-effective and reliable.

Airbus A320-200
The definitive A320, this version features an extra fuel tank and wingtip fences. The large centre-section fuel tank increases fuel capacity from 15,588 litres to 23,430 litres. Aerodynamic efficiency is increased further by the wingtip fences, which save fuel, and increases range further still.

Versions under consideration are a convertible passenger/freight model and an all-cargo freighter.
In 1989 Airbus announced a stretched version, the A321 with a 44.51 m (146ft 0in) long fuselage. With 186 passengers in a two-class layout, this will fill the capacity gap between the A320 and A310.

In service the A320 has proved extremely reliable and economical.  These factors, together with the advanced technology, have made it the best seller yet for the Airbus family. Air France took the first delivery on 28th March 1989, and the type was certified in 1989 for operations with the IAE V2500 high technology engine.  The type has achieved major sales in the United States with Northwest and Braniff.